Ballast spreader



May 29, 1951 J. B. WHITE 2,555,173

BALLAST SPREADER Filed July 3, 1948 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTDRNEY LT. M I l mi May 29, J. B WHITE BALLAST SPREADER Filed July s, 1948 I 9 sheets-sheet 2 uw* INVENTOR. JOHN B. WHITE A TTRN J. B. WHITE May 29, 1951 BALLAST SPREADER 9 sheets-smet s Filed July 3, 1948 INVEN TOR. JOHN B. WHITE 1T TRNEY May 29, 1951 J. B. WHITE BALLAST SPREADER 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 3, 1948 IN V EN TOR.

JOHN B. WHITE l) Ey ATTENEY TJ.. El!) 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR.

JOHN B. WHITE BY f MWA uw ATTQRNEY May -29, 1951 J. B. WHITE BALLAST SPREADER Fild July 5, 1948 May 29, 1951 J. B. WHITE BALLAST SPREADER 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 lFiled July 3, 1948 NVENTOR.

JOHN B. WHITE Q BY f 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 J. B. lWHITE BALLAST' SPREADER May 29, 1951 Filed July 3, 1948 IN VEN l1`0R.

JOHN B. WHITE ATTENE'Y May 29, 1951 J. B. WHITE BALLAST SFREADER Filed July 3, 1948 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 IN VEN TOR.

JOHN B. WHITE .ATTENE'Y Patented May 29, 1951 BALLAST SPREADER John B. White, Tuckahoe, N. Y., assignor to Scientiiic Production Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 3, 1948, Serial No. 36,913

6 Claims. l

This invention relates to devices for receiving ballast from a railroad car and delivering it at will to any desired portion of the underlying track ballast cross-section of the track over which the car passes, said device being movable with the car and positioned in the path of ballast distribution.

Prior art ballast spreaders were provided with rollers adapted to contact with the tops of the track rails over which the car passes thereby facilitating movement of the spreader along the track and relieving its bottom from wear when7 as is sometimes the case, it is necessary to position the spreader in contact with the rails in order to permit the lading discharge door of a particular car to be opened suiciently to properly distribute the lading.

Ballast spreading devices have been provided with an auxiliary side plate or wall section which has been adapted to be positioned so as to prevent the undesired discharge of ballast to the road bed through the space between the inner ends of the door sections of a hopper car.

Heretofore, the bottom of the central portions of the spreader has been provided with an angularly movable door formed as a series of sections rigidly united to a common operating lever or bar, the ends of which are curved to facilitate the angular movement of the door. Lever means have also been provided to adjust the ballast spreading device so as to positionit in proper cperating relation to a lading discharge opening of the railway car with which the device is associated.

An improvement of ballast spreaders provided i for the discharge of sufficient ballast into cribs so that the depth of the ballast extended from the subgrade to but a short distance below the upper surface of the cross ties. Much expense and labor have heretofore been expended in thus distributing ballast because it has been necessary to manually handle the ballast so as to insure its proper depth in the cross tie cribs. In this connection, it has been proposed to manually handle the ballast so as to insure its proper depth in the cross tie cribs. This has been accomplished by the provision of novel means for discharging ballast into the cross tie cribs thereby, said means being adapted for use in conjunction with a ballast spreading pan.

Again it has been proposed that the ballast be distributed at the required points and in the required amounts in the cross tie cribs, the dresser being automatic in operation. l

Such a ballast dresser has been comprised of movably connected rigid elements which are moved along the lowermost elements to engage the tops of the cross ties and swing on either side of the car to engage the tops of the cross ties of the track.

Furthermore, in the distribution of ballast on a railroad, it has been the practice to require all of the ballast to be discharged when the hopper door is opened and the door cannot be closed or `controlled during the time the ballast is being discharged so that the rate of discharge takes place at a uniform rate. However, since widely varying quantities of ballast are required at various points along the track, the ballast discharged from the car must be discharged subsequently and be moved from place to place by hand labor to form the proper ballast cross section.

This invention relates toan adjustably attached device for receiving ballast, such as broken stone, from a railway car and is adapted to distribute this ballast along the railway road bed.

When ballasting railway track it has been found to be a distinct advantage to supply the ballast material only where it is needed and in amounts suilicient to raise the level of the roadway the required amount without having-the ballast overflow the cross-ties and rails and thus necessitate the use of hand labor to remove and properly distribute the excess ballast.

It is also desirable to control the amount and position of ballast dropped around switches,'wa ter troughs, crossings, etc.

In some instances ballast is needed only along one or both sides of a single rail, or the area between the rails may require considerable ballast adjacent one rail and little along thel other rail.

It is economical and convenient to move ballast material in any standard hopper cars available. Certain of these cars are so constructed that when the hopper doors under the cars swing open they pass very close to the upper surface of the rails, therefore any device intended to fit under these doors must be of minimum thickness to allow full opening of the hopper doors.

Heretofore ballast spreaders have been used which have sliding doors loosely oating in guides, each door being operated by a lever and link. In actual use such a door tends to pivot about its link connection and jam cornerwise in the guiding surface. Under such conditions, control of the ballast flow becomes an uncertain factor.4

Occasionally, it was necessary to halt the work train to allow a man to go under the car to drive the sticking door loose.

Some other forms of ballast spreaders have employed a single closure device to cooperate With several apertures to control the dropping of ballast between the rails. These devices were operated by two men working in unison, one on each side of the hopper car. Obviously, a team work arrangement such as this is undesirable. Greater eiiiciencyJis obtainedv where each manmay select and independently operate the spreader doors on his side of the road bed.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved ballast receiver and spreadingV device comprising a distributing pan provided with appropriate openings and attached to-a framey that is braced in a novel manner to form a' rigid structure that is comparatively light in` weight and therefore easier to handle.; than formerballast spreaders.

Another object of the invention resides in pro: viding an improved ballast spreader whereof the frame and distributing pan isshapedto accommodate necessaryop'erating: mechanism and yet haveaf minimum thickness in the area-under the hopper-.doors 'offa railway'car.

A further object of this invention'. is the provision: of a ballast spreader'havlng.apertures arranged to be closed. by sliding. doors guided to movein'a'strai'ght line without any possibility of jamming.

Stillaanother. objectof the invention is to provide-a ballastspreader in-which`tliesliding"v doors are carried by' thefri'gidy frame work of the' de:- vicefso-thatf deflections of therelatively thin dis.- tributingA` panwill not affect theoperation ofsaid (100118.l

These and. other objects of the invention and the meansfor their. attainment will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying draw-ings. illustrating one embodiment by which the invention.- may berealizedi and in which:

Figure` l-is a-viewinside elevation showing a portionfof ahopper car` with twovballast-spreader devices hungy in positionl to receive ballast from the car.

Figurev 2. isa transverse vertical sectional view taken-in the plane. indicated by the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 and. taken in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is aview inV side elevation on an enlarged scale showing the. end of the device as seen inFig. 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse planY sectional view taken in the plane. indicated by the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 showing the distributor panof the spreader.

Figure 5 is a sectional view in transverse section taken in the plane indicatedby the line. 5 5 of: Fig. 4' looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing an intermediate brace of the spreader.

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken in the plane indicated by the line 6 6 of Fig; 5 and showing in detail. the mounting of a lever to operate an intermediate door.

Figure' '7 is a view in a cross section taken on the line T T of Fig.. 4' and showing the center brace 86 and associated parts of the spreader.

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional View taken in the plane indicatedby the line 8 8 of Fig. 3 an'd' illustrating the mounting. of the operating levers.

Figure 9 isa transverse sectional View taken in theV plane indicated by the line 9 9 of Fig. 4 and showing two of the sliding doors of the spreader;

Figure 10 isY a detail View partly in sectionand partly in elevation and taken on the line IU-IU of Fig. 4 and showing the construction of one of the sliding doors.

Figure 11 is a View in transverse section taken in the plane indicated by the line Il ll of Fig. 10 and illustrating a lever connection to a sliding door.

Figure 1'2is a detail view partly insection taken along the line I2' |2 of"Fig- 10 and showing one of the door guiding means.

Figure 13 is an enlarged sectional plan view takemonaa plane indicated by the line I3-I3 of Fig. 9 and illustrating additional door guiding and supporting. means.

Figure' 14' is aview in cross section taken along the line M lfi' ofFig. 2 and showing the hopper oarfdoorxandaniintermediate spreader door open and ballast being dropped.

Figure l5 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of a ballast spreader pan and illustrating a modiedi for-m off' sliding door construction.

Figure 1'6 is a detail view partly inY section taken along the line IS I6 of Fig. 15.

Figure l'?`r is a transverse sectional viewv taken along the line l'l-l 'lof Fig. 15'.

Referring to the drawingsv in detail, wherein like parts are designated by like referenceA characters, the ballast spreader'comprising a distributor pan member 3G and end wall members 31, is suspendedv beneath a discharge hopper 32' of a railway hopper-car 311i on rails 35'carried` on 4crossties-3' asvshown in Figs. l, 2 and 1'3. In the'embodimentshown, the car is of the type in which the discharge openings are arranged in pairs, orrelon each side offthe` centersilll 36 of the car, as sown in Fig. 2; TheA discharge openings are closed by doors 38 usually connected'togetlrerby a'tie bar 48;

The ballast spreader device 30' is hung from the. topr of the car 34 by hooked hangers 42', height adjusting. levers44 and chains 46..

Thedistributor pan 3.8 (Figs. 5 and`6) preferably consistsk of a pair of spacedv parallel side frames'48 and 56. Side frame 48 has anv upper flange 41 turned'outwardly andrdownwardlyand a' lower flange 4'9'turned inwardly and'then upwardly parallel' with the frame 48; Side frame 50;- al'so has an upper flange 5l that is turned outwardly'anddownwardly and: a lower flange; 52 turned inwardly and upwardly'parallel with the frame 58. Side frame Sois providedwith openings. 54, the'purposefof which will'be subsequently explained.

Lifting handles 56 are welded to `the upper fianges. 4l andy 5l of thek respective side frames 48' and 50. These handles also serve as sway stops and may abut against the car hoppers 32 or discharge door tie bar 40 to prevent the spreader from moving away from its position under the discharge'opening of thecar.

Side frames 48 and 58 are cut out at their lower corners as indicated at 58 in Figure 3 to receive endbraces-Gilfastened to the'side frames by rivets 62. The lower surface of the end braces are level with theV bottoms of the side frames 46 and- 50.

A hanging pin 64 projecting through end braces 60. and the-respective side frames 48 and 59. is provided at each corner of the ballast spreader as best shown in Fig. 4.

Intermediate braces 66. are each formedV with a vertical portion 5B, a downwardly sloped portion 'i8 and a horizontal length. 12, the. lower surface of which. isv level with the bottoms of the side rails 48 and, 5.0 whereby a minimum height of the pan above the track is obtained to allow the hopper door to swing open. Each brace then has an upwardly sloped portion 14 and then a downwardly extending vertical length 16 as shown in Fig. 5.

Each intermediate brace 66 is attached to side frame 48 by rivets 18 which extend through the side frame, vertical portion 68, spacer block 80 and flange 49. In a like manner each brace 66 is fastened to the side frame 50 by rivets 82 which pass through the side frame vertical portion 16, spacer block 84 and ange 52.

A center brace 86 is shaped with a vertical portion 88, a downwardly sloping section 90 and a horizontal length 92, the bottom surface being level with the lower surfaces of the side frames 48 and 58; the brace then has an upwardly sloping portion 94 and then a downwardly extending vertical length 96 as shown in Fig. 7. It will be noted here that the contour of the intermediate braces 66 and center brace 86 are identical thus far. A protective shoe 98 to assist the ballast spreader in clearing highway crossings, etc., is welded to center brace 86 at |00. Shoe 98 has an upwardly extending lip |82 that abuts flange 52.

Center brace 86 is fastened to side frame 48 by rivets |04 which pass through the side frame, vertical portion 88, spacer block |06 and flange 49. In a similar manner, brace 86 is made rigid with side frame 50 by rivets |08 which extend through the side frame, vertical portion 96, spacer block and lip |02.

A distributor pan ||2 shaped to conform to the upper contours of the braces 66 and 86 is attached thereto by short rivets ||4 and longer rivets H6, the latter extending below the braces to fasten intermediate door support plates H8 and center door support plate |20 to the lower surfaces of the respective braces 66 and 86. The pan ||2 is also made rigid with the side frames 48 and 58 by rivets |22.

The distributor pan 2 is cut out at its four corners as indicated at |21.

Rectangular apertures |24 are provided near the endsof the pan ||2 to drop ballast along the outside areas of the rails 35. Intermediate openings |26 are cut nearer the center of the pan to supply ballast to the area between the rails 35 as shown in Fig. 4.

A baille plate |28 to prevent ballast from overflowing the spreader is attached to the distributor pan ||2 by means of a pair of hinges |30 and rivets |32. B'afle plate |26 may be swung downwardly into the pan as illustrated in Figure '1 to facilitate storage of the spreader. As some hopper cars are built with a bolt projecting from the tie bar 49, the baffle plate |28 is apertured at |84 to provide clearance for the bolt.

Reinforcing members |36 and door support plates |36 are fastened at each end of the pan |2 by rivets |40 as is most clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Sliding doors |42 are provided to control the ow of ballast through the apertures |24 While sliding doors |44 serve to control the supply through the openings |26. Doors |42 are adapted to be carried by door support plates ||8 and |30 and doors |44 are arranged to slide on door support plates ||8 and |20.

Each sliding door |44 consists of a flat closure plate |46 which has welded to its lower surface a channel shaped slide bar |48 that extends through an aperture 54 in the side frame 50, as best shown in Figs. 4, and 12. A pair of 6 channel shaped reinforcing members |50 are also welded to the bottom of thel plate |46 with their inner ends butting against slide bar |48 and their outer ends extending beyond the ends of the closure plate |46. t the outer side of the members |50, the anges of the channels are out off an appropriate distance as shown in Fig. 9, leaving the webs|52 to extend over their respective door support plates ||8 and |20. The webs |52 are formed with a radius at their ends so that nothing more than a point contact is made between each web |52' and itsguiding surface along the sides of intermediate brace 66 or center brace 86 as is most clearly shown in Fig. 4,

A stop block |54 is carried on slide bar |48 to stop the door in its closed position by striking the outer face of side frame 50. A similar stop block |56 is positioned on slide bar |48 to strike the inner face of side frame 50 when the door is fully opened.

An operating bell crank lever |58 having an elongated opening |60 in its longer arm |6| is connected to the door assembly |44 by a pin |62 that is carried in the slide bar |48. Pin |62 is provided with a loosely tted combined spacing sleeve and roller |64, and is supported at its lower end by a yoke |66 welded to the slide bar as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. A cotter pin |68 prevents accidental removal of the pin.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the door |44 is guided in its sliding motion by. the sides of braces 66 and 86 and by the sides of the aperture 54 in the side frame 50 and therefore it is required to move in a straight line without the possibility of turning cornerwise and thus jam in the guides.

Each bell crank lever |58 is fulcrumed on a bolt |10 that passes through the pan 2 and intermediate brace 66. A sleeve |12 is tted on the bolt |10 to provide spaced relationship between a nut |14 and brace 66. A washer |16 is used to provide a bearing surface for lever |58 as illustrated in Fig. 6.

Each bell crank lever |58 has a shorter arm |18, connected to one end of a link by a pin |82. The other end of link |80 is connected by a pinY |84 to a bell crank lever. |86 pivoted on a bolt as is most clearly shown in Fig. 4.

As illustrated at the right hand side of Fig. 2, a removable extension handle |92 may be slipped over the exposed end of bell crank lever |86 by an operator as he walks beside the ballast spreading device and he may then, by rotating the lever |86, move the sliding door |44 to regulate the flow of ballast through the aperture |26. Similarly, another operator on the opposite side of the track may control the ballasting through the adjacent opening |26.

Sliding doors |42 are preferably constructed in a similar fashion to the doors |44, previously described. Each door |42 has a closure plate |96 and a slide bar |98 which passes through an aperture 54 in side frame 50. Also channel reinforcing members 200 with projecting web portions 262, are curved at the ends and rest on door support plates ||8 and |38 as shown in Figs. 4 and 9. Stop blocks 204 and 206 limit movement of the door. Each door is also provided with a pin 288 having a sleeve 2 I0 and a yoke 2|2 to receive an operating lever 2 I4 that is pivoted on the bolt |90. The inner end of the lever 2 |4 has an elongated hole 2|6 to engage the pin 204 and sleeve 206. The outer end of either lever 2|4 may be engaged by the extension handle |92 to open or cl'ose the' respective doors |42.

YEach bolt |90 passes through pan ||2, reinforcing member |'36, levers 2|4 and |66 and is threadedv into an end brace 60 as shown in Fig. 8. A sleeve 2|8 is provided on the bolt |90 to maintain the member |36 and brace 60 in spaced relationship to prevent binding on the levers |86 andZ 4 which` are separated by a washer 220.

Blocks 222 are riveted near each corner of the distributing pan 30as shown in Fig. 4 to prevent accidental removal of the unit from the end wall members 3|.

As is" best shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3, each end wall member 3| comprises a pair of angular corner posts 230 spaced in parallel relationshp by a plate 232. Further rigidity is added to the structure by an angle brace 234. Yokes 236 are rivetedto the corner posts 230 and the yokes and postsare provided with open slots 231 to engage pins 64. Each corner post carries a projecting pin 238 drilled with a transverse hole 239.

Short lengths of chain 240 having hooks 242 are attached by' rivets 244 to the upper ends of the corner posts 230.

Each end wall member 3`| is fitted with a door 246 arranged to slide vertically and when open allows ballast material to spill over the end of the distributor pan 30 to ballast the area of the road bed beyond the ends of the cross-ties 31.

Lever` 248 arranged to be fulcrumed on either one of the'p'ins 23S-by means of holes 249, is operatively connected to` thedoor by a link 250 pivotally connected at 252 to the lever and pivoted to thedoor at 254. Lever 248 carries two chains 256 each furnished with. a long hook 258 at its end. The lever is retained on either pin 238 by dropping the appropriate hook 258 into the hole 239 of the pin.

The'door 246' may be held' open by the attending operator or he may, for convenience, insert' the' free hook' 258 into a suspending chain 46 to retain the" door in theopen position asillustrated at the left hand side of Fig. 1.

When setting up the ballast spreader under a railway car the usual procedure is to place the hangers 4-2 and chains 46 on the car and set the distributor pan' 30 on the rails 35 directly below the discharge opening ofa hopper 32. Each end wall member 3| is then installed by holding the member parallel with the pan unit and dropping the slots 231 over pins 64 after which the end walls are swung up to a nearly vertical position and attached to the chains 46 by hooks 242. The spreader device may then be raised' the desired distance above the rails by means of the chain' adjusting levers 44.

A modified construction of a sliding door is shown in Figs. 15, 16 and 17, wherein an intermediate door is illustrated to close an aperture |26 in the pan H2. It will be understood, however, that this same method may be applied to the outer door openings |24. The door 330 in this instance comprises a closure plate 30| having a depressed portion 302. A channel shaped slide bar 304 and a yoke 305 are fastened to the depressed area 392 of the closure plate by rivets 306, the opposite end of the slide projecting through an aperture 54 in the side frame 5D. A pin 308 having a sleeve 3|0 is carried on the bar 304 to engage the bell crank lever |58 pivoted on the bolt ITS. Stop blocks 3|2 and 3|4 are provided on the slide bar tov limit movement of the door.

Guides 3I'S, preferably in the form of angles, arefastened to therpanl I2 by rivets 3 I8.

It' will be observed in Fig. 17 that door 300 is carried on door support plates ||8 and |20 and that the guides 3|b` are not depended upon for support. However, the guides 3|6, acting on slide bar 304, do prevent the edges of the closure plate 36| from coming into contact with the sides of braces 66 and 86 and therefore jamming cannot occur.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art in the form taken by the ballast delivery instrumentalities as well as the coacting parts supporting and actuating the instrumentalities, the structure which avoids swaying, and the disposition of the associated structural elements, and no limitation is intended by the phraseology of the foregoing description or illustrations in the accompanying drawings, except as indicated in the annexed claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a ballast spreader, in combination, a ballast receiving pan formed with a ballast delivery opening, a closure for said opening, a reenforcing strip attached to the lower side of said closure, said strip being' longer than the closure iswide, and extending beyond the closure on two sides, said strip formed with curved ends, strengthening braces positioned transversely of the pan, support plates attached to the braces and extending therebeyond presenting a ledge for receiving the ends of said strip whereby the curved ends of the strip make contact with the braces whereby cocked door jamming is prevented.

2. In a ballast spreader, in combination, a ballast receivingpan formed with a ballast delivery opening, a closure for said opening, a reen'forcing strip attached to the lower side of said closure, said strip beingr longer than the closure is wide and extending beyond the closure on two sides, said strip formed with cur-ved ends, strengthening braces positioned transversely of the pan, support plates'attached to the braces and extending therebeyond presenting a ledge for receiving the ends of said strip, a side member attached to said pan, said side member formed with an aperture, a guide bar attached to said closure and extending through said aperture whereby the closure is guided in a straight line movement and whereby the curved ends of the strip make contact with the braces whereby cocked door jamming is prevented.

3. In a ballast spreader, in combination, a ballast receiving pan formed with a ballast delivery opening, a closure for said opening, a reenforcing strip attached to the lower side of said closure, said strip being longer than the closure is wide and extending beyond the closure on two sides', said strip formed with curved ends,

strengthening braces positioned transversely of the pan, support plates attached to the braces and extending therebeyond presenting a ledge for receivingthe ends of said strips, a side member attached to said pan, said side member formed with an aperture, a guide bar attached to said closurer and extending through said aperture whereby the closure is guided in a straight line movement, an operating lever connected to said guide bar and means for operating said lever whereby the closure is positioned to cover or uncover the delivery opening and whereby the curved ends of the strip make contact with the braces whereby cocked door jamming is prevented.

4. Ina ballast spreader, in combination, a ballast receiving pan and means for delivering ballast therefrom including manually operable ineans, said pan adapted to be positioned beneath a ballast carrying railway car and just above the level of the rails upon which the ballast carryng car runs, said pan supporting the ballast delivering operating means thereunder and a shield positioned under the ballast delivery operating means for contact with any highway crossing planks encountered in the progress of the ballast carrying car under which the pan is positioned whereby the operating means are protected.

5. In a ballast spreader, in combination, a ballast receiving pan formed with a ballast delivery opening and a closure therefor and means for operating the closure to cover or uncover the opening, a bai'lie plate, hinges attaching the baiile plate to the pan whereby the bafe plate may be caused to lie parallel to the pan or at about a right angle thereto, a side member extending upwardly from the edge of the pan against which the baffle plate bears when at a right angle to the pan, said baffle plate positioned when at a rightvangle to the pan to prevent ballast being delivered to the pan from a hopper car formed with two delivery doors one on each side of a central longitudinal center sill from flowing directly to the ground adjacent the pan.

6. In a ballast spreader, in combination a pan for receiving ballast from a ballast delivery car,

10 said pan adapted to be positioned beneath the car, transversely thereof closely adjacent rails upon which the car runs, said pan formed longitudinally of the car and rails with a lowest portion intermediate the sides thereof, and a higher portion at one side and a still higher portion at the other side, said pan formed with delivery openings and closures therefor, and means positi-oned under the still higher portion for operating the closures, wherby the volume of ballast receivable approaches a maximum and the oper ating means are elevated above the ballast receiving ground higher than the lowest portion of the pan.

JOHN B. WHITE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 9,533 Earl Jan. 11, 1881 731,676 Gibbs et al June 23, 1903 1,535,987 Clas Apr. 28, 1925 1,662,926 Kerns Mar. 20, 1928 1,667,085 Straw Apr. 24, 1928 1,689,694 Straw Oct. 30, 1923 1,689,806 `Straw Oct. 30, 1928 

